Railway-switch filler



D.E.LAHEY.

- RAILWAY swncn FILLER. APPLICATION FILED FEB, 18, 1922.

1,421,962, PatentedJulj 4,1922.

' MW in Tii hi "i" @FFHQE.

DENNIS E. LAHEY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BAILWAY-SlVITCH FILLER.

iaise-2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS Lariat, citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville. in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch. Fillers of which the following is specification, reference beinghad therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switches and moreparticularly to the protection of split switches.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive andetlicient guard for preventing chains or other parts hanging from apassing train from catching. under the head of the switch rail and stockrail at their junction, and thereby spreading the switch point andendangering a train approaching from the opposite direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filler between theswitch point and stock rail designed to prevent the heel of the'shoe ofa switch-man or other work-man from being caught between the stock andswitch rails.

With the foregoing objects outlined, and with other objects in viewwhich will ap pear as the description proceeds, the invention consistsin the novel features hereinafter described in detail. illustrated inthe accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a track showing one or. thestock rails and one of the switch points.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a hearing or. filler plate adapted to besecured to the stock rail beneath the head of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a special form of filler block designedto be connected to the switch point.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the switch point filler andshowing the same arranged alongside of the stock rail.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig.4.

Fig. dis a similar view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a similar View taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 4.

The device consists essentially of two steel castings, one connected tothe stock rail and one to the switch point, the latter being movablewith the switch point.

In the following detail description, 1 d esignates a stock rail and 2 aswitch point cooperating therewith. The switch point carwas a wedgeshaped filler blocl: 3 provided with apertures 41- adapted to receivebolts 8 employed in securing the filler block to the web of the switchpoint. As best shown in Fig. 6, the heads of the bolts 8 are countersunkin the outer face of the filler block so that no projecting parts willbe formed by the securing means. The filler block is provided at one endwith a grooved inclined ramp 13 and the upper surface of said block isgrooved and inclined upwardly from said ramp as shown at '7 to the end10' of the block. it will be noted that the end 10 is rounded so as to lave no corner on which any dragging part mightcatch, and in practicethis rounded end willfit under the head of the stock rail.

A bearing or filler block 5 having inclined ends 12 is secured to theweb of the stock rail by means of bolts 9 which extend through holes 6in the block. The heads of the bolts 9 are countersunk in the block asshown in Figs. 5 6 and 7. The inclined ends 12 of the block 5 alsofunction to prevent dragging parts from catching, and as a matter offact these surfaces facilitate the passage of dragging parts over theportion of the track where the switch points are arranged.

The block 5 is provided at one end with a recessed portion 11 which isadapted to receive the point 10 of the block 8 so that an even fit willbe provided bet-ween the filler blocks and the point 10 will bepermitted to pass under the head of the stock rail.

The filler blocks 3 and 5 are preferably cast and the block 3 is madevery heavy and strong at the open end, where it receives the impact orblow from a dragging object. After the object travels along the groove 7and is brought to the level of the bottom of the rail heads, there islittle stress, and consequently the casting may be reduced in thicknessat the pointand as a matter of fact may be made very light.

The blocks 3 and 5 preferably extend from near the heel of the switch tothe junction of the head of the switch point with the stock rail.

From the foregoing, I believe that the construction, operation andadvantages of the invention may be readily understood by being attachedto and movable with the switch point.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the filler block has itsupper surface gradually inclined upwardly from the wide end of the blocktowards its point.

,3. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the filler block hasits upper surface graduallyinclined upwardly from the wide end of theblock towards its point, and in which the upper surface of the block isprovided with a longitudinal groove.

4:. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said filler block hasits upper surface gradually inclined upwardly from its wide end to itspoint, and the upper surface of said block is provided with alongitudinally extending groove.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the filler block issecured tothe switch point by means of bolts having headscountersunk inthe filler block.

6. The combination with a stock rail and a switch point cooperatingtherewith, of a bearing block secured to the stock railand havingbeveled ends, said block being also provided near one end with a siderecess, bolts securing said block to the web of the stock rail andprovided with heads countersunk in'said block, a wedge-shaped fillerblock fixed to said switch point and having its upper surface graduallyinclined up wardly from the wide end of'the block to its point, theupper surface of the wedgeshaped block being provided with alongitudinally extending groove and the point of said wedge-shaped blockbeing adapted to pass into the recess formed in the first mentionedblock, and fastening. means securing the wedge-shaped block to saidswitch point.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

DENNIS E. LAHEY. [n s.]

Witnesses: r

HUGH B. FLEECE, B. ARMSTRONG.

